Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
  • B23K26/34—Laser welding for purposes other than joining
  • B23K26/342—Build-up welding
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
  • B21D22/00—Shaping without cutting, by stamping, spinning, or deep-drawing
  • B21D22/02—Stamping using rigid devices or tools
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F10/00—Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
  • B22F10/20—Direct sintering or melting
  • B22F10/22—Direct deposition of molten metal
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F10/00—Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
  • B22F10/20—Direct sintering or melting
  • B22F10/25—Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F7/00—Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising metallic powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting wherein at least one part is obtained by sintering or compression
  • B22F7/06—Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising metallic powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting wherein at least one part is obtained by sintering or compression of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools
  • B22F7/08—Manufacture of composite layers, workpieces, or articles, comprising metallic powder, by sintering the powder, with or without compacting wherein at least one part is obtained by sintering or compression of composite workpieces or articles from parts, e.g. to form tipped tools with one or more parts not made from powder
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
  • B23K26/0093—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring combined with mechanical machining or metal-working covered by other subclasses than B23K
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
  • B23K26/14—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring using a fluid stream, e.g. a jet of gas, in conjunction with the laser beam; Nozzles therefor
  • B23K26/144—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring using a fluid stream, e.g. a jet of gas, in conjunction with the laser beam; Nozzles therefor the fluid stream containing particles, e.g. powder
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K26/00—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
  • B23K26/346—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring in combination with welding or cutting covered by groups B23K5/00 - B23K25/00, e.g. in combination with resistance welding
  • B23K26/348—Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring in combination with welding or cutting covered by groups B23K5/00 - B23K25/00, e.g. in combination with resistance welding in combination with arc heating, e.g. TIG [tungsten inert gas], MIG [metal inert gas] or plasma welding
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K9/00—Arc welding or cutting
  • B23K9/04—Welding for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding
  • B23K9/044—Built-up welding on three-dimensional surfaces
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K9/00—Arc welding or cutting
  • B23K9/16—Arc welding or cutting making use of shielding gas
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K9/00—Arc welding or cutting
  • B23K9/23—Arc welding or cutting taking account of the properties of the materials to be welded
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
  • B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
  • B33Y10/00—Processes of additive manufacturing
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
  • C21D1/62—Quenching devices
  • C21D1/673—Quenching devices for die quenching
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C24/00—Coating starting from inorganic powder
  • C23C24/08—Coating starting from inorganic powder by application of heat or pressure and heat
  • C23C24/10—Coating starting from inorganic powder by application of heat or pressure and heat with intermediate formation of a liquid phase in the layer
  • C23C24/103—Coating with metallic material, i.e. metals or metal alloys, optionally comprising hard particles, e.g. oxides, carbides or nitrides
  • C23C24/106—Coating with metal alloys or metal elements only
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
  • C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
  • C23C26/00—Coating not provided for in groups C23C2/00 - C23C24/00
  • C23C26/02—Coating not provided for in groups C23C2/00 - C23C24/00 applying molten material to the substrate
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F10/00—Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
  • B22F10/30—Process control
  • B22F10/32—Process control of the atmosphere, e.g. composition or pressure in a building chamber
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F10/00—Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
  • B22F10/30—Process control
  • B22F10/36—Process control of energy beam parameters
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F10/00—Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder
  • B22F10/30—Process control
  • B22F10/38—Process control to achieve specific product aspects, e.g. surface smoothness, density, porosity or hollow structures
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
  • B22F—WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
  • B22F2301/00—Metallic composition of the powder or its coating
  • B22F2301/35—Iron
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
  • B23K2101/006—Vehicles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
  • B23K2101/18—Sheet panels
  • B23K2101/185—Tailored blanks
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
  • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
  • B23K2103/02—Iron or ferrous alloys
  • B23K2103/04—Steel or steel alloys
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D2211/00—Microstructure comprising significant phases
  • C21D2211/008—Martensite
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D2251/00—Treating composite or clad material
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
  • Y02P10/25—Process efficiency

Definitions

• the present disclosure relates to methods for manufacturing reinforced structural components and to the structural components obtained through them.
• Typical vehicle components that need to meet weight goals and safety requirements include structural and/or safety elements such as door beams, bumper beams, cross/side members, A/B-pillar reinforcements, and waist rail reinforcements.
• Hot Forming Die Quenching uses boron steel sheets to create stamped components with UHSS properties, with tensile strengths of at least 1000 MPa, preferably approximately 1500 MPa or up to 2000 MPa or more. The increase in strength allows for a thinner gauge material to be used, which results in a weight savings over conventionally cold stamped mild steel components.
• Simulations performed during the design phase of a typical vehicle component can identify points or zones of the formed component that need reinforcement (because lighter and thinner metal sheets and blanks are used) in order to increase strength and/or stiffness. Alternatively a redesign may be done in order to steer deformations.
• Ultra High Strength Steels e.g. Usibor 1500P
• AISi aluminium-silicon
• welded reinforcements e.g. corners or areas with elevation changes.
• Patchworks are normally welded using a spot welding which requires a minimum space to distribute the spots. Additionally, patchworks need a minimum size in order to be easily welded. This may involve an extra weight as the reinforcement needs to have a minimum size in order to be welded rather than having the right size (minimum) needed to reinforce the required area.
• a method for manufacturing structural steel components with local reinforcement comprises selecting at least a zone of the component to be reinforced, providing a steel blank and deforming the blank in a press tool to form a product, wherein the blank and/or the product comprises a groove in the zone to be reinforced, the groove comprising an inner surface and an outer surface.
• the method further comprises depositing a reinforcement material on the inner surface of groove and locally heating the reinforcement material and the groove of the steel blank or product, to mix the melted reinforcement material with the melted portion of the steel blank or product.
• Process as used herein may refer to an intermediate product (a semi-finished component) or to an end product (a finished component).
• the deposition of reinforcement material in the groove and locally heating the reinforcement material may be carried out in the blank, before hot forming and quenching. In other examples, the deposition of reinforcement material in the groove and locally heating the reinforcement material may be carried out in the formed component, i.e. the product, after hot forming and quenching.
• Making a groove permits a precise material deposition process as the zone to be reinforced is already predefined.
• the formation of the groove allows different types of material to be deposited, e.g. a powder, a paste or a filler wire.
• the use of a groove enables the combination of two different reinforcement types. On the one hand, the purely geometric reinforcement which is obtained by creating a discontinuity in the blank, i.e. making the groove, which improves resistance to buckling forces. And on the other hand, the use of a reinforcement material improves the behaviour of the reinforcement.
• the groove also allows removal of a surplus of a reinforcement material. Locally depositing the reinforcement material can reduce the need for e.g. patchwork blanks or tailor welded blanks, and provide reinforcements exactly where they are needed.
• Another aspect of using a groove is that a hybrid welding technology (combining laser welding and an arc welding torch) might be used as a way of depositing reinforcement material more rapidly.
• a hybrid welding technology combining laser welding and an arc welding torch
• One effect related to welding and to laser heating is that there usually is a relatively large Heat Affected Zone (HAZ). If hot forming (and cooling or quenching) is performed after the welding, the negative effects related to a HAZ largely or completely disappear.
• the reinforcement material independent of its form (powder or otherwise), may be stainless steel AISI 31 6L, as commercially available from e.g.
• the powder may have the following composition in weight percentages: 0 - 0.03% carbon, 2.0 - 3.0% of molybdenum, 10 - 14% of nickel, 1 .0 - 2.0% of manganese, 1 6 - 18% chromium, 0.0 - 1 .0% of silicon, and the rest iron and impurities.
• 431 L HC as commercially available from e.g. Hoganas® may be used.
• This powder has the following composition in weight percentages: 70 - 80% of iron, 10 - 20% of chromium, 1 .0 - 9.99% of nickel, 1 - 10% of silicon, 1 - 10% of manganese and the rest impurities. It may be also possible to combine these reinforcement materials.
• a reinforcement material comprising 35% in weight of AISI 31 6L and 65% in weight of 431 L HC exhibits good ductility and strength.
• the powder has the following composition in weight percentages: 2.1 % carbon, 1 .2% of silicon, 28% of chromium, 1 1 .5% of nickel, 5.5% of molybdenum, 1 % of manganese and the rest iron and impurities.
• the reinforcement material is powder
• the powder may incorporate any component providing different (e.g. higher) mechanical characteristics depending on circumstances.
• the above mentioned reinforcement materials may be easy to melt, dilute and mix with the part of the steel substrate by a laser beam.
• the method further comprises directly or indirectly heating the groove. Heating the groove enables the reinforcement material to penetrate into the blank.
• the reinforcement material may be part of the blank before any subsequent process.
• the provided blank may be made of 22MnB5 which is an example of boron steel used in the automotive industry.
• the composition of 22MnB5 is summarized below in weight percentages (rest is iron (Fe) and impurities):
• 22MnB5 steels are commercially available having a similar chemical composition. However, the exact amount of each of the components of a 22MnB5 steel may vary slightly from one manufacturer to another.
• Usibor 1500P is one example of commercially available 22MnB5 steel manufactured by Arcelor.
• the composition of Usibor is summarized below in weight percentages (rest is iron (Fe) and impurities):
• the 22MnB5 may contain approximately 0.23% C, 0.22% Si, and 0.1 6% Cr.
• the material may further comprise Mn, Al, Ti, B, N, Ni in different proportions.
• UHSS Various other steel compositions of UHSS may also be used in the automotive industry. Particularly, the steel compositions described in EP 2 735 620 A1 may be considered suitable. Specific reference may be had to table 1 and paragraphs 001 6 - 0021 of EP 2 735 620, and to the considerations of paragraphs 0067 - 0079. In some examples the UHSS may contain approximately 0.22% C, 1 .2% Si, and 2.2% Mn. These steels may be air hardened, i.e. they do not require quenching in e.g. a press tool in order to obtain a martensitic microstructure.
• Steel of any of these compositions may be supplied with a coating in order to prevent corrosion and oxidation damage.
• This coating may be e.g. an aluminum-silicon (AISi) coating or a coating mainly comprising zinc or a zinc alloy.
• AISi aluminum-silicon
• a component as obtained or obtainable by any of the methods described herein is provided.
• Figures 1 schematically illustrates an example of a blank with a groove filled with reinforcement material
• Figure 2 schematically illustrates another example of applying a reinforcement material in a groove in a blank or component
• Figures 3a - 3d schematically illustrate examples of a press tool and examples of manufacturing a structural component with local reinforcement(s) ;
• Figure 4 schematically illustrates an example of a blank comprising a plurality of grooves
• Figure 5 schematically illustrates an example of a blank comprising two adjacent grooves
• Figure 6 shows an example of a method for manufacturing reinforced structural components.
• Figure 1 depicts a zone of a blank 1 wherein a groove 1 1 0 has been created e.g. by a cold deforming process before, simultaneous or subsequent to cutting the blank from a steel coil.
• the groove 1 1 0 may be provided in an area of the blank which corresponds to an area of the structural component that requires a reinforcement.
• a powder or gas flow 1 22 may exit a nozzle 1 21 at a predetermined rate.
• the reinforcement material 140, metal powder in the example of Figure 1 is, may thus be deposited in the groove 1 1 0.
• the nozzle 1 21 may be movable at least along the groove i.e. perpendicular direction to the xy plane in Figure 1 .
• the reinforcement material e.g. metal powder
• the reinforcement material 140 may be deposited in several passes along the groove i.e. by applying successive layers of reinforcement material 140, until the groove 1 1 0 is fully filled.
• the reinforcement material may be deposited using any alternative suitable method.
• the groove 1 1 0 may have a U-shaped cross-section comprising two sidewalls and a bottom wall which fixes the depth and the width of the groove.
• the dimensions of the groove 1 1 0 may be designed e.g. to control the amount of deposited reinforcement material 140 and/or to control the size of the reinforcement to be created. Since a groove 1 1 0 is formed, if a surplus of a powder is deposited, the surplus can easily be removed by levelling the surface using e.g. a skimming sheet or by pressing and compacting the deposited reinforcement material.
• the groove 1 1 0 may in some examples possess a width of about 8 mm and a depth of about 1 .5 - 2 mm.
• a laser heating system 1 30 may be used to melt the deposited reinforcement material 140 e.g. metal powder, before subsequent processes.
• the laser heating system 1 30 may comprise a laser head 1 32 from which a laser beam 1 31 exits.
• the spot of a laser beam may heat and melt the reinforcement material and the inner surface of the groove and therefore mixing the melted reinforcement material with the melted layer(s) of the inner surface of the groove.
• a second laser beam may also be used so that the first laser beam melts the reinforcement material and the second laser beam may melt at least a layer of the groove inner surface and thus, the melted reinforcement material may penetrate into the blank.
• the reinforcement material 140 and the base material 1 i.e. the blank, may therefore be thoroughly joined throughout the entire zone on which the reinforcement is to be formed.
• the melted reinforcement material may be sufficiently solidified before any subsequent processing.
• the laser beam may have melted the reinforcement material without directly heating any layer of the groove inner surface.
• the inner surface of the groove may be melted by the heat of the reinforcement material.
• the laser heating may be applied at the same time that the powder is deposited. In other examples, the laser heating may be applied after the powder has been deposited.
• the laser beam 1 31 may have a power of between 2 kW and 1 6 kW, optionally between 2 kW and 1 0 kW. By increasing the power of the laser beam 1 31 the overall velocity of the process may be increased.
• the laser heating system 1 30 and the material depositor 1 20 may be displaced together along the blank and/or the groove 1 1 0 to simultaneously melt and deposit the reinforcement material e.g. metal powder or filler wire.
• a hybrid welding technology combining laser heating and an arc welding torch might be used.
• the arc welding torch might comprise a filler wire electrode which is melted and thereby can be deposited in the groove.
• the laser heating system 1 30 may further comprise a shield gas channel (not shown) that may be coaxially provided with respect to the laser head 1 32 to supply a shield gas flow to the zone on which the reinforcement is to be formed i.e. to the groove.
• helium or a helium based gas may be used as a shielding gas.
• FIG. 2 shows an alternative example wherein a filler wire 240 is used as reinforcement material.
• the filler wire 240 may be simultaneously melted and deposited in the groove 21 0. Drops 241 of the melted filler wire 240 may be deposited in the groove 21 0.
• the laser beam may possess enough power to substantially heat (and melt) part of the groove surface. Therefore, the melted material i.e. melted filler wire, may penetrate into the blank 1 enough to join the base material but not sufficiently to change its intrinsic properties e.g. tensile strength.
• the melted reinforcement material 244 would thus be part of the blank 1 .
• the filler wire 240 may be melted by a laser heating system 130 which may be located substantially above the groove 210.
• the filler wire 240 may be firstly deposited in the groove 210 and subsequently melted by a laser heating system 130.
• Figures 3a and 3b show a press tool configured to form a reinforced structural component from a blank 1 by e.g. a hot or a cold deforming process.
• Figure 3a shows a blank 1 previous to a deforming process while Figure 3b shows an already deformed blank 1 '.
• the blank 1 shown in Figure 3a comprises a groove 310 filled with reinforcement material 340 which may have been melted by e.g. a laser heating system before entering the furnace.
• the filler wire 240 may be firstly deposited in the groove 210 and subsequently melted by a laser heating system 130.
• Figures 3a and 3b show a press tool configured to form a reinforced structural component from a blank 1 by e.g. a hot or a cold deforming process.
• Figure 3a shows a blank 1 previous to a deforming process while Figure 3b shows an already deformed blank 1
• reinforcement material may be melted during the heating process subsequent to the deposition of the blank 1 in the furnace system. Consequently, the reinforcement material and at least a layer of the inner surface of the groove would be mixed.
• the press tool may comprise an upper 320 and a lower 330 mating dies and a mechanism (not shown) configured to provide upwards and downwards press progression (see the arrows) of the upper die 320 with respect to the lower die 330.
• the press progression mechanism may be driven mechanically, hydraulically or servo-mechanically.
• the upper die 320 and the lower die 330 may respectively comprise an upper working surface 321 and a lower working surface 331 which, in use, face the reinforced blank 1 to be cold or hot deformed.
• the lower working surface 331 may comprise a recess 332 defining an inverse geometry of a region of the blank to be reinforced i.e. wherein a groove 310 has been made. Such recess 332 may further be used to correctly center the blank 1 in the press tool by placing the groove 310 in the recess 332.
• Figure 3b shows an example of a formed blank 1 ', i.e. a product, after being pressed by upper 320 and lower dies 330.
• the formed blank V of the example has been quenched into the press tool and therefore the groove filled with reinforcement material has been converted into a reinforcement 350.
• Figure 3c shows an example wherein the melted deposited reinforcement material 370 may already be part of the blank 1 , and, as a consequence, the blank 1 may be placed face down in the press tool.
• the upper 380 and lower 390 mating dies which, in this example, correspond successively to lower 330 and upper 320 mating dies of Figures 3a and 3b, may be adapted to correspond with the current position of the recess.
• the upper working surface 381 may be provided with a recess 382 (or recesses) where the groove 332 (or grooves) of the blank 1 may be situated i.e.
• Figure 3d shows another example of a formed blank 1 ' after being pressed and quenched into the press tool. Consequently, the groove filled with reinforcement material of Figure 3c, has been transformed into a reinforcement 375.
• both upper 321 , 381 and lower working surfaces, 331 , 391 may be provided with a recess or with a plurality of recesses.
• the upper 320, 380 and lower 330, 390 mating dies may comprise a cooling system e.g. channels with cold fluid, to enable in-die quenching.
• the cold fluid flowing into the channels may be e.g. water and/or cold air.
• the speed of circulation of the water at the channels may be high, thus the water evaporation may be avoided.
• the channels with cold fluid allow cooling down of the area of the blank to be reinforced blank at a rate such that a final reinforcement results in a martensite microstructure.
• a control system may further be provided, thus the temperature of the dies may be controlled.
• other ways of adapting the dies to operate at lower or higher temperatures may also be foreseen, e.g. heating systems may be provided to control the cooling rate and/or to create areas having a ferrite-pearlite microstructure, i.e. soft zones which are zones in the component having reduced mechanical strength as compared to other parts of the component.
• Temperature sensors and control systems may also be provided to control the temperature of the dies.
• the groove may be formed in a blank.
• the reinforcement material may be deposited in the groove and may be joined to the blank by locally applying heat, e.g. with a laser.
• the blank might be cold formed.
• the blank may be heated above austenization temperature in a furnace, after which the blank may be cooled and optionally (hot) deformed in a press tool.
• a martensite microstructure may be obtained in the whole blank or in specific areas of the blank.
• the blank with the groove and reinforcement material joined to the blank may be submitted to a heat treatment in a furnace, after which the blank may be (hot) deformed and cooled.
• a martensite microstructure may be obtained in the whole blank or in specific areas of the blank.
• a blank (without a groove) may be hot deformed and cooled/quenched.
• the hot deforming may include the formation of the groove.
• the reinforcement material may be deposited in the groove and locally heated.
• the groove may be also directly heated e.g. by applying a heat source directly on the groove surface, or indirectly heated e.g. by the heat of the reinforcement material which has been deposited in the groove and heated.
• a HAZ may be created in the groove.
• a blank (without any groove) may be cold deformed and in this deformation process, the groove(s) are formed. Then, the reinforcement material may be deposited and it may also be locally heated. After this, the blank may be heated above austenization temperature in a furnace, after which the blank may be cooled in a further press tool in which a further (hot) deformation process may take place. With appropriate cooling or quenching (depending on the steel composition), a martensite microstructure may be obtained in the whole blank or in specific areas of the blank.
• a blank with a groove may be hot deformed and cooled/quenched. After the formation of the product, the reinforcement material may be deposited in the groove and locally heated.
• the groove When the reinforcement material is being heated, the groove may be also directly heated e.g. by applying a heat source directly on the groove surface, or indirectly heated e.g. by the heat of the reinforcement material which has been deposited in the groove and heated. As previously mentioned, a HAZ may be created, however, cooling the groove may limit the HAZ.
• the blank may be cut from a steel coil by e.g. a cutting tool, and the groove may be formed simultaneously to the blank formation, i.e. when the blank is being cut from the steel coil e.g. by a press tool which may e.g. be coupled to the cutting tool.
• the groove may be created e.g. by a press tool, before the blank is cut, i.e. when the part to be a blank is being uncoiled.
• the blank 1 may be provided with a local or a plurality of local grooves with a predetermined length, so as to obtain a local or a plurality of local reinforcements (see Figure 4). Consequently, a plurality of matching recesses may be provided along at least a working surface of the press tool to match the grooves.
• Figure 4 shows a top view of a blank 1 wherein a plurality of grooves 401 has been created.
• Figure 4 also depicts a displaceable system 420 which may comprise a material depositor 421 and a laser heating system 422.
• the displaceable system 420 may be movable in the xz plane so as to deposit and melt the reinforcement material along each of the grooves 401 .
• Figure 5 illustrates another example of a blank 1 wherein two adjacent grooves 501 have been made so as to increase the cooling rate of the groove area when
• the grooves 501 may be simultaneously formed in a press tool by e.g. cold or hot deforming. Between both grooves 501 an intermediary zone 502 may be provided to differentiate the created grooves.
• a non-deformed blank may be provided 61 0 in which at least a zone to be reinforced may be selected.
• a U-shaped cross-section groove may be created 620 in a selected area to be reinforced e.g. along a central portion of the entire length of the blank.
• Such groove may be created by e.g. cold stamping.
• a plurality of grooves may be created.
• a reinforcement material e.g. a powder or a filler wire
• a material depositor may be deposited 630 in the groove.
• the surface of the blank may be leveled i.e. any reinforcement material protrusion may be removed e.g. by sliding a skimming sheet over the blank.
• the blank may be then heated 640 e.g. in a furnace at e.g. austenization temperature. Subsequently, the heated blank may be hot deformed 650 in a press tool to substantially obtain the final product shape.
• the deformed blank may finally be quenched 660.
• the press tool may comprise cooling elements e.g. cold water suppliers, to deform and quench the blank simultaneously. An additional quenching step out of the press too may also be performed.
• the deposited reinforcement material may be locally heated after or during the deposition.

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• 2017
  • 2017-09-19 US US16/334,315 patent/US11478877B2/en active Active
  • 2017-09-19 CN CN201780057888.4A patent/CN109715837A/zh active Pending
  • 2017-09-19 JP JP2019515397A patent/JP6947818B2/ja active Active
  • 2017-09-19 EP EP17765472.0A patent/EP3516083B1/en active Active
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